Vacuum windows with reticulated spacer

Abstract

A vacuum window unit including two spaced apart and substantially parallel sheets of glass, a spacer having a plurality of walls perpendicular to the sheets of glass, the spacer defining a reticulated or a honeycomb or a cellular structure, and a vacuum, a partial vacuum, or a substantially reduced gas pressure as compared to a normal atmospheric pressure between the sheets of glass and within the cells of the spacer. The spacer is positioned between the two sheets of glass to maintain spacing between the two sheets of glass.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum window unit comprising:
 two spaced apart and substantially parallel sheets of glass;   a spacer having a plurality of walls perpendicular to the sheets of glass, the spacer defining a reticulated or a honeycomb or a cellular structure; and   a vacuum, a partial vacuum, or a substantially reduced gas pressure as compared to a normal atmospheric pressure between the sheets of glass and within the cells of the spacer;   wherein the spacer is positioned between the two sheets of glass to maintain spacing between the two sheets of glass.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacer retains the glass sheets relatively flat and parallel relative to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum window unit comprises a secondary perimeter seal. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the vacuum window unit comprises an edge seal spacer. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum window unit comprises an edge seal spacer. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of walls of the spacer has a face that is transparent or includes a light absorbing portion. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of walls of the spacer has a face including a light reflecting portion. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the light reflecting portion is a reflective coating. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls of the spacer includes a first face and a second opposite face spaced away from the first face, and wherein the first face is transparent or includes a light absorbing portion and the second face includes a light reflecting portion. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 9 , wherein the first face is parallel to the second face. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacer is bonded to at least one of the two sheets of glass 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacer is not bonded to either of the two sheets of glass. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the two sheets of glass define inner opposed surfaces, and wherein the reticulated or honeycomb or cellular structure of the spacer spans substantially the entire surface area of the inner opposed surfaces of the two sheets of glass. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 12 , wherein a ratio of total open areas of the cells to the total area of the walls is, in one embodiment, greater than or equal to 10. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the walls of the spacer have a thickness of about 0.0003 to 0.3 meter. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a unit of the reticulated or honeycomb or cellular structure has a width or diameter of about 0.001 to 0.05 meter. 
     
     
         17 . A vacuum window unit comprising:
 two spaced apart and substantially parallel sheets of glass defining inner opposed surfaces;   a spacer having a plurality of walls perpendicular to the sheets of glass, the spacer defining a reticulated or a honeycomb or a cellular structure, wherein the plurality of walls includes a first face and a second opposite face spaced away from the first face, and wherein the first face is transparent or includes a light absorbing portion and the second face includes a light reflecting portion; and   a vacuum, a partial vacuum, or a substantially reduced gas pressure as compared to a normal atmospheric pressure between the sheets of glass and within the cells of the spacer;   wherein the spacer is positioned between the two sheets of glass to maintain spacing between the two sheets of glass; and   wherein the reticulated or honeycomb or cellular structure of the spacer spans substantially the entire surface area of the inner opposed surfaces of the two sheets of glass.   
     
     
         18 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 17 , wherein the walls of the spacer have a thickness of about 0.0003 to 0.3 meter. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum window unit according to  claim 17 , wherein a unit of the reticulated or honeycomb or cellular structure has a width or diameter of about 0.001 to 0.05 meter. 
     
     
         20 . A method of installing a vacuum window unit, the method comprising:
 providing a vacuum window unit comprising:
 two spaced apart and substantially parallel sheets of glass; 
 a spacer having a plurality of walls perpendicular to the sheets of glass, the spacer defining a reticulated or a honeycomb or a cellular structure, wherein the plurality of walls includes a first face and a second opposite face spaced away from the first face, and wherein the first face is transparent or includes a light absorbing portion and the second face includes a light reflecting portion; and 
 a vacuum, a partial vacuum, or a substantially reduced gas pressure as compared to a normal atmospheric pressure between the sheets of glass and within the cells of the spacer; 
 wherein the spacer is positioned between the two sheets of glass to maintain spacing between the two sheets of glass; and 
   installing the vacuum window unit into a wall of a structure with a floor and a ceiling, wherein the vacuum window unit is oriented with the first face of the plurality of walls of the spacer positioned more proximate to the ceiling and the second face of the plurality of walls of the spacer positioned more proximate to the floor to redirect incident light toward the ceiling.